The Road to 5 Million:Coca-Cola Empowers 1.2 Million Women Entrepreneurs

Noko, a guardian to five children and a restaurant owner in Diepsloot, South Africa, learned about bookkeeping, marketing and other business skills in a workshop offered by Coca-Cola’s 5by20 program and UN Women. She says her confidence has grown and her profits have nearly doubled. “Sometimes when I look around my business, I see how far I have grown and I am filled with so much pride I could cry,” she says.

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The Coca-Cola Company has made strong progress toward its goal of enabling the economic empowerment of 5 million women entrepreneurs across its value chain by the year 2020, according to data released today.

Thanks to growth in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, Coca-Cola’s global 5by20 initiative has reached more than 1.2 million women entrepreneurs across 60 countries since 2010. In 2015 alone, the initiative reached more than 372,000 women entrepreneurs, an increase of 43 percent over the prior year.

For Noko, owner of a small restaurant north of Johannesburg, business skills training courses offered through a program implemented by Coca-Cola, UN Women and Hand in Hand helped her support the five children she cares for. She learned about record-keeping, managing stock and financial management.

Today, her self-confidence, income and ambitions have grown. Noko now has three employees and plans to install a big billboard at the entrance of her town. She’s working on making menus and designing uniforms. And her tripe dish, called mogodu, is bringing in the customers.

“I am very proud of my business and want to attract even more customers, maybe even tourists,” said Noko, 40. “After my training, my eyes have been opened up to great possibilities.”

Bea Perez, Coke's Chief Sustainability Officer, said thriving, sustainable communities are critical for a sustainable business. "And women are absolutely essential to our success,” she added. “We still have a significant amount of work to do, but I am proud of the progress we are making. It’s inspiring when I am able to meet the participants and see firsthand how 5by20 is transforming the lives of women, families and communities around the world.”

5by20 focuses on helping women entrepreneurs across the Coca-Cola value chain overcome challenges when establishing and growing their business. The entrepreneurs’ job descriptions are as varied as their backgrounds: fruit farmer, supplier, distributor, retailer, recycler and artisan. 5by20 provides access to business skills, financial services, assets and support networks of peers and mentors.

“An educated, successful and empowered woman creates a ripple effect throughout her community when she can afford her children’s education, provide basic medical needs for her family and help support and mentor other women entrepreneurs,” said Gearhart. “The entire community benefits.”

Results on the Ground: South Africa

In 2013, Coca-Cola and Ipsos, a leading global market research company, began conducting an impact study of 101 women entrepreneurs in Guateng and North West provinces near Johannesburg, South Africa. These women retailers were part of a larger 5by20 business skills training program implemented in collaboration with partners UN Women and Hand in Hand Southern Africa. Results from the participants over 18 months were encouraging.

The participants saw an average 44 percent growth in business sales and a 23 percent average jump in personal income.

On average, the women became more able to afford basic expenses such as children’s education, medical visits and clothing. About two-thirds of participants said they were able to put money in savings each month.

More than half (54 percent) of participants reported their business improved “a lot” as a result of the training.

More than 90 percent of the women said they were confident they would keep their businesses open and will be able to grow.

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, offering over 500 brands to people in more than 200 countries. Of our 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 are available in lower- or no-sugar options to help people moderate their consumption of added sugar. In addition to our namesake Coca-Cola drinks, some of our leading brands around the world include: AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater, and Zico coconut water. At Coca-Cola, we’re serious about making positive contributions to the world. That starts with reducing sugar in our drinks and continuing to introduce new ones with added benefits. It also means continuously working to reduce our environmental impact, creating rewarding careers for our associates and bringing economic opportunity wherever we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people around the world.

The fairlife® brand is owned by fairlife, LLC, our joint venture with Select Milk Producers, Inc., and fairlife’s products are distributed by our Company and certain of our bottling partners.